Fish tacos have become all the rage in recent years and are a specialty of the Pacific coast of Southern California and Mexico. This is a simple recipe: all the components can be made ahead of time and the fish grilled at the last moment. You can also use halibut, sea bass or tilapia in place of the salmon.

Beans and roasted butternut squash make an outstanding vegetarian taco filling. For the best flavor, use fresh, good-quality chili powder and Mexican oregano. Look for both at Latin markets or in the bulk spice section at well-stocked natural-foods stores.

Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

Instead of deep-frying the fish for these fish tacos, we coat the fish with a flavor-packed chile rub and grill it instead. Make sure the fillets are no more than 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick so they cook quickly. Sometimes flipping fish on the grill can be tricky since the fish can stick to the grill or fall apart. The solution is to invest in a grill basket that easily holds 4 to 6 fish fillets and secures the fish in the basket for easy flipping. If you don’t have a grilling basket, make sure the grill is hot and well oiled before adding the fish.

Spice up your dinner routine with one of our healthy taco recipes. Learn how to make tacos with our recipes for crispy taco shells and taco meat. Whether you’re in the mood for fish tacos, chicken tacos, beef tacos or vegetarian tacos, or would prefer a taco salad recipes, these lighter taco recipes will please everyone at your dinner table.